Ahhh….neighbors. You love ’em. You hate ’em. You can’t live in San Francisco without ’em, and you certainly can’t easily remodel a home to today’s standards without opposition from them. Check out what just hit our inbox:
If, for some reason, you can’t see the letter, which we uploaded as an image, we’ll go ahead and tell ya what it says:

Dear Mr. [deleted]:
We are neighbors on Telegraph Hill who will oppose any changes to the building envelope at [deleted] owned by [deleted] in this historic district of Telegraph Hill. While the Hill has suffered through renovations in the past, projects such as yours have occurred with extreme environmental changes. Water drainage issues on Telegraph Hill regarding a nearby project created unfavorable slope instability–buildings have been lost and a large boulder ended up on Sansome Street. Additionally, neighbors on [deleted] and surrounds are tired of construction noise and delays in completion caused by projects such as yours. A recent project took 10 years and is still incomplete.

Telegraph Hill is a historic district whose character depends upon building ownership which understands the value of building enhancement not as building expansion, but building enhancement as careful care in keeping up properties in their historic dimension. We find your application to be sadly ignorant of the need to abide by the common elements vital to the neighborhood and its character.

Your proposal to enhance the property needs to be cognizant of the historic preservation without additional elevation or facade changes in all directions. Projects like yours have been attempted in the past and have turned out badly.

While we many of us may be away during your pre-application meeting time, please understand that our opposition is unconditional.

Just another bump in the road for a developer out there trying to bring a home that has sat vacant since WWII (yes, that long) into our housing stock…before it falls off the hill or gets consumed by the pests and rodents feasting on its rotting self. But Hey! It’s “historic”.

[Update: We’re told none of the authors of this letter took the time to actually visit the property at the open house outreach, and none have contacted the developer, or the architect (aside from this letter) to begin a dialogue of constructive or courteous negotiations.]

Life at theFrontSteps is nothing but sunshine and roses. Ummm, maybe not. Today, we give you the most recent friendly email to come our way, with a few things [removed] to protect privacy:

[Editor], It is unfortunate that I have to write you this email. A client of mine [removed] sent me this link to one of your blogs. Please know that if you continue to [post certain things] on-line, I will file a defamation of character and slander law suit in 5 minutes. You did not mention me by name, but have already affected my reputation [removed] with this blog. This is the most desperate and pathetic attempt I have ever seen by an agent to procure business. I could sue you right now based on the sales and records I have made [in the past]. Your implications are quite damaging and it will not be tolerated. Please remove these insulting and malicious comments off this site immediately or [your company] and you will hear from my attorneys before you can write another irresponsible, unresearched, innaccuate and unethical statement. By the way, you are using my photos for commercial use. Please cease and desist from this.

We noticed it [3373 22nd Street] hadn’t had a Sunday open in a while, but rather than a pending or sold sign outside – we noticed the sign was just gone yesterday. It isn’t on the public mls as in contract – it just isn’t there. You know the scoop?

We are dying to know the final sales price. It was our perfect house in our perfect location – but a very unperfect price. So it wasn’t just the price – it was the price plus the people who were squatting in the house before the developer bought it, who still like to hang out around the house. For 2 + million – I don’t want to regularly have to ask the neighborhood characters to loiter elsewhere.

According to MLS it closed on 7/10/08 for a sales price of $1,950,000 (original asking was $2,095,000, originally listed 5/1…love that day!), and we heard the buyer represented himself (mls states the same). Last sale was 11/05 for a sales price of $920,000 and has definitely been fixed up since then.

Part 2:

And while I’m asking – I’ll give you a bit of insight from the east bay. We were supposed to close yesterday on our house in Oakland – only the bank hasn’t delivered loan docs yet. We have a jumbo loan and found the very last bank willing to do a 20% loan. Everyone else wanted 25% down or ridiculous rates. There is no problem with the loan – the bank is just backed up. We likely won’t close until sometime next week and the sellers are rolling with it. I was fully prepared to have to beg and plead for them not to walk – but we are hearing from our agent that a lot of deals are closing late. Is it the same over there?

Deals closing late, or the begging and pleading? We’re seeing a bit more of both. ;-)

Thanks for the insight on the East Bay, thanks for your email, and thanks for reading!

I was reading an old blog post of yours about starving real estate agents. Boy can I relate. I have been forced to get a “day job” ugh, and do [real estate] at night and weekends. I need to get back on track so I can quit that damn day job!

-J

Expired and FSBO(for sale by owner) Listings my Specialty!

We’re feeling your pain, but likely our reader “Ramen4Realtors” is laughing his/her head off. Regardless, we’re always looking for good writers…(it doesn’t pay, but at least you can vent.)

I think Realtors looking for plugs for their listings is an attempt to cater to the new mentality of todays Buyers – not a sign of panic. The Buyers are the ones who are panicking as a result of the garbage being published practically daily about the real estate market tanking (thank you SF Chronicle, for one). They are being trained to believe that the only reason to buy in SF is if you can get a deal, be on the inside track, take advantage of something before others do, etc. So having you plug a “special” property works well. Realtors are just smart and know how to target their market :) But as we (Realtors) all know, at the end of the day it still comes down to location & price – not just a tip. The truth is, any serious Buyer is looking at a multitude of sites or has a good agent and can find said property without a lot of trouble, assuming it’s not a pocket listing. But as they say, perception is reality and if the Buyer thinks they’ve found a real jewel, that’s what Realtors are banking on. Literally!

Just a question I’ve often wondered. Who’s idea was it to allow, or encourage Realtors to put their pictures all over everything from biz cards, to shopping carts, to buses, etc.? Why Realtors and not all the countless other professions out there?

Good question. I don’t have the answer. Not sure it was one person or a group of people that collectively sat down and said, “Hey…Realtors should use their pictures on their advertising!” I’m thinking it kind of just happened gradually as a way for Realtors to focus on face recognition, as their image is their brand.

Sorry I’m not much help on this. Regardless, thank you for writing in. Maybe our readers or stammtisch can shed some light on the matter.

Personally, I prefer to put my mug on top of the tram at Snowbird….over and over again.

We give you a reader’s un-edited [okay, maybe slightly edited] letter to the editor:

I just saw your site for the first time! Where have I been?

I am really interested in SF real estate, but from a purely looking-into-other-people’s-houses-and-fantasizing-about-what-their-lives-must-be-like perspective.

My husband and I sold our flat in Noe Valley last summer. It was not a pleasant experience. It took a while to sell (a few months in SF terms seems to equal a year in the “real world.”) We sold it for under by something like $50K. We moved into a rental while we looked for our next place. We just knew we’d find our dream house – it was a Buyer’s Market!

Nine months later, we found a house in Glen Park. Bought it before it hit the market (a friend of a friend) and now I’m happy as can be. A two-bedroom, single-family, detached on all four sides right [near] Glen Park Canyon for $870k. That’s a good deal, right? But I still like to check things out.

I don’t know nothing ’bout no market rates and interest and blahblahblah. I just know that I’ve seen a lot of houses in Bernal, some in Glen Park, some in Noe, a few others around town. For awhile I was checking a couple of different websites several times a day for new listings.

I’ve worked with three different agents in this city, one when we bought our place in Noe, and two when we sold it. We didn’t like any of them. But we finally figured out that it wasn’t them – it was us. We must be way too picky.

So, that’s a little about me. Not that interesting, and I don’t know that I can really contribute much other than comments like “That place is pretty!” or “1.5 for that shit hole?!” but I figured I’d say hi. And I like your site.”-M

We’re glad you found us. We hope to hear a lot more from you in the future, and something tells us you’ll fit right in. In fact, since you blew through 3 different Realtors, maybe you could provide some insight on this thread.

As for your question whether you got a good deal…you got a house in Glen Park, didn’t have to compete for it, and you’re happy. Sounds like a good deal to us.

I can’t believe I am going to print this letter to the Editor, because, well…we’re mostly a community of Realtors bringing this information to you. But, I think there may be something to gain from this little quote if we get some good comments.

“Dear Editor,

I really like your blog and think it is a great resource and nice to see a Realtor trying to do something other than just sell, sell, sell, and cheer the market on. But maybe you can help me answer this question, why are Realtors so arrogant and such assholes? I mean, driving around in the bling, bling cars all the time. Constantly talking on the phone about loans, property features and what they’re worth, clients’ needs, etc., in the most un-private of locations (bathrooms, checkout lines, airports.) Always interupting a good conversation when the phone beeps, vibrates, or rings with “I gotta take this call…” Is it really that important? Why do they think they are so cool? Other professions have their arrogant pricks too (attorneys, doctors, entrepreneurs), but Realtors somehow seem more obnoxious. Maybe it is the easy money you guys make. Or maybe, you all truly are a bunch of assholes. Anyway, just thought you could shed some light on the matter for me.

Thanks,

Justin T.”

I’m hoping we can gain some insight into where the disconnect often lies between Realtor-client, Realtor-public. Why is there such a negative perception placed on Realtors? I hope we can learn things like how we can better serve you during a transaction, rather than just “making easy money” (it’s never easy money by the way). How can we earn our commissions in your eyes? Things we can do during the process of buying/selling your home for you that would make a difference. Things you like to see in our advertising. Things you like at the close of a transaction…that kind of stuff.

By giving you this open forum, I’m hoping you’ll spread the word, link to this post, and give some good feedback. The more the better.

If somebody (Justin T.) feels strongly enough to write us with this question, I’m assuming he/she is not alone. So let ‘er rip!

‘How bad can traffic in American cities get? Los Angeles’s long-range transportation plan is a grim look at the future. By 2025, Los Angeles County is projected to have 3 million more people, which could prompt a 30 percent increase in car trips. At that rate, the report suggests, “congestion will last nearly all day long.” None of the city’s innovative solutions-from new subway lines to traffic management systems-are likely to change that. And at the rate traffic in other cities is snarling, they won’t be far behind.’

Bottom line: The trends we see today will continue. In other words, buying real estate within 20 miles of America’s top cities is a sure thing. No point to wait for markets to “fall” – it’s not going to last. If you can – buy now.

One part of me wants to go for the suburban house in Lafayette so I can get my suburban toehold before it becomes only the possibility of the rich…” Dave-San Francisco

Editor: And the other part? You left us hanging! What’s the other part!?